[SOLVED] Download error with youtube-dl and axel

zetrotrack000 · 02-18-2019, 04:02 AM

Hi
I am trying to download following video:

Code:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWj2Fgxdrc

by combining 'youtube-dl' and 'axel'. I am trying to download this video in such a way that I want these two softwares (youtube-dl and axel) to not only save this video as "interview.mp4" but also limit download speed to 200KB. For this purpose, I used following command:

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i --external-downloader /usr/bin/axel -o 'interview.mp4' -s 200000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWj2Fgxdrc

Here I am using following options:
-f 22 for video format
-c for resume download
-i for ignore errors
-o for output file name
-s 200000 for limit download speed to 200KB
However, instead of downloading the video at 200KB and saving it as "interview.mp4", it is giving following error:

Code:

ERROR: fixed output name but more than one file to download

I have also tried following variation of command:

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i --external-downloader /usr/bin/axel -s 200000 -o 'interview.mp4'  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWj2Fgxdrc

and

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i --external-downloader /usr/bin/axel -o 'interview.mp4' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWj2Fgxdrc -s 200000

and

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i -o 'interview.mp4' --external-downloader /usr/bin/axel -s 200000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWj2Fgxdrc

But still same error is appearing. However, if I remove the option (-s 200000), the error disappear and the video starts to download. But I want to use (-s 200000) option so that it should not eat all the bandwidth.
Kindly guide me that what mistake I am doing here and how can I fix it.
Regards

business_kid · 02-18-2019, 04:39 AM

I think you're putting axel in the wrong place. You have it as an operand, in the case of youtube-dl, an object to be downloaded. By the time youtube-dl sees axel, it will have established it's connection, negotiated speed, etc.

I think you want to get axel in control before youtube-dl establishes a connection. You have axel, and I don't know it. Look up options & examples. It will probably be

axel --<options> youtube-dl <blah>.

zetrotrack000 · 02-18-2019, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

I think you're putting axel in the wrong place. You have it as an operand, in the case of youtube-dl, an object to be downloaded. By the time youtube-dl sees axel, it will have established it's connection, negotiated speed, etc.

I think you want to get axel in control before youtube-dl establishes a connection. You have axel, and I don't know it. Look up options & examples. It will probably be

axel --<options> youtube-dl <blah>.

youtube-dl has an option (--external-downloader) which incorporates axel with it. Moreover, following commands works fine:

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i --external-downloader /usr/bin/axel -o 'interview.mp4' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWj2Fgxdrc

the error only appears when I introduce (-s 200000) option. So, it means that without (-s) option, the sequence of command is correct because it is working. It is (-s) option which is creating problem, and I don't know how and where to incorporate this option.

business_kid · 02-18-2019, 10:24 AM

Irritating. Have you tried

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i --external-downloader '/usr/bin/axel -o interview.mp4'

The output file has nothing funny about it' name. Whast's the '-d 200000' option an option to? youtube-dl? axel? Include it as appropriate after it's executable.

zetrotrack000 · 02-18-2019, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

Irritating. Have you tried

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i --external-downloader '/usr/bin/axel -o interview.mp4'

The output file has nothing funny about it' name. Whast's the '-d 200000' option an option to? youtube-dl? axel? Include it as appropriate after it's executable.

The command you have mentioned works. But I want to incorporate (-s 200000) option. This option is for 'axel' and it instructs 'axel' to limit download speed to 200K.

snowday · 02-18-2019, 10:53 AM

youtube-dl interprets '-s' as 'simulate' and therefore thinks '200000' is an argument.

Try using '--external-downloader-args' to pass the '-s 200000' option to axel.

zetrotrack000 · 02-18-2019, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowpine

youtube-dl interprets '-s' as 'simulate' and therefore thinks '200000' is an argument.

Try using '--external-downloader-args' to pass the '-s 200000' option to axel.

Thanks. The problem is solved and following command worked for me:

Code:

youtube-dl -f 22 -c -i --external-downloader-args '-s 200000' --external-downloader /usr/bin/axel -o 'interview.mp4' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWj2Fgxdrc

ondoho · 02-18-2019, 01:52 PM

i wonder why an external downloade is deemed necessary for this?
youtube-dl can limit the download speed all by itself:

Quote:

Originally Posted by man youtube-dl

-r, --limit-rate RATE
Maximum download rate in bytes per second (e.g. 50K or 4.2M)

zetrotrack000 · 02-18-2019, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ondoho

i wonder why an external downloade is deemed necessary for this?
youtube-dl can limit the download speed all by itself:

Does youtube-dl have any option to specify output? Like "interview.mp4" in my case.

l0f4r0 · 02-19-2019, 02:38 AM

^ Of course, there is a -o switch for output.
You can even specify a pattern/template.

zetrotrack000 · 02-19-2019, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l0f4r0

^ Of course, there is a -o switch for output.
You can even specify a pattern/template.

Thanks a lot.